


Addicted To You

by ManWhoWrote



Category: The Flash (TV 2014)
Genre: F/M, Love
Language: English
Status: Completed
Published: 2020-11-10
Updated: 2021-01-15
Packaged: 2021-03-08 23:01:58
Rating: General Audiences
Warnings: Creator Chose Not To Use Archive Warnings
Chapters: 10
Words: 9,564
Publisher: archiveofourown.org
Story URL: https://archiveofourown.org/works/27494647
Author URL: https://archiveofourown.org/users/ManWhoWrote/pseuds/ManWhoWrote
Summary: Having an addiction isn't the worse thing in the world... not when your addicted to the person that you love. Life just doesn't get any better than that. A series of short but sweet stories dedicated to Barry Allen and Caitlin Snow.
Relationships: Barry Allen & Caitlin Snow, Barry Allen/Caitlin Snow
Comments: 29
Kudos: 68





	1. Chapter 1

**Author's Note:**

> In the past, I've always wanted to do a story filled with one-shot themes for Barry/Caitlin but I've always found myself short on time so during this strange and unprecedented time, I made myself a promise to keep at this until all 60 themes have been completed.
> 
> Please enjoy this as a start of a new adventure for #snowbarrys. I know I will.

From the moment Caitlin stepped into Jitters, a familial scent of caffeine jolted her senses awake, her lips turning upward into a smile as she eagerly joined the line to place her order. Her hazel brown eyes scanned the menu, her mind already hard at work deciding what kind of drink she wanted today.

"Hey, Caitlin!" Cisco cheerfully greeted. "Are you here to try Jitter's latest creation as well?"

Recognizing Cisco's voice, she quickly turned around and returned the greeting. "Latest creation?" She asked, puzzled. "I thought the Killer Frost Frappuccino was their latest creation."

He shook his head. "Not anymore frosty. There's a new hero in town and thy name is Vibe!" He proudly held up his drink, displaying it for her to see. "It's an iced coffee brewed over 48 hours in a mixture that's so secretive that none of the staff would even tell me." He took a sip from the drink before happily sighing. "Do you want to try? I think it's the best drink on the menu but hey, who am I to judge?" He chuckled and then shook his head. "What am I saying? Of course I can judge. This drink is the drink that will end all drinks."

Caitlin rolled her eyes but nevertheless, took an obligatory sip. As soon as the liquid hit her tongue, she could taste the complex flavors hidden within this drink and her eyes widened, surprised at how the flavors kept evolving as it smoothly went down her throat. "Wow, Cisco. This is good. This is really good."

"Right? Even Barry had to concede once he had a taste of this bad boy." Cisco boasted, puffing his chest. "I know it's not a contest but word from behind the counter is that the Vibe might be their best seller yet."

"Wait. Barry's here?" Caitlin asked, her eyes now wandering around looking for her other best friend.

"Yup. He's sitting in the back sulking that no one's ordering the Flash today." Cisco gestured over his shoulder as he took another sip. "I wonder if I should run this through the mass spectrometer... I'm dying to know how they accomplished something so magnificent."

Caitlin continued looking around, proactively trying to spot Barry but with everyone moving around, they were obstructing her view. It took a few seconds but she eventually found him in the back, just like Cisco said but what he failed to mention was that there was a pretty brunette sitting right next to him, lightly bumping her shoulders against his. With the music playing in the background, she resorted herself to lip-reading and even though she didn't know the first thing about it, it didn't deter her from trying. She squinted her eyes but between the chatter and music playing in the background, it was impossible.

"That's Linda." Cisco pointed out, taking note of where she was looking.

"Oh." She muttered, mentally trying to figure out what her relationship was with Barry. "I don't think I've seen her around before. Is she new here?"

"You could say that." He answered between sips. "She's a hotshot sports reporter with CCPN that's been eyeing Barry for some time now. I think Iris introduced them a while back."

"You don't say..." Her words reluctantly came out, her eyes remained fixated on how close she was to Barry. "Did you see that?! She just made a pass at him!" She growled, unknowingly digging her nails into Cisco's arm. "Doesn't she understand boundaries?!"

"Woman! Do you?!" Cisco yelped, forcefully pulling his arm away. He winced as he rubbed his arms, trying to ease the pain. "What's gotten into you, Caitlin? Since when did you start caring about who Barry dates?"

"I don't. Barry's free to choose who he dates but I'm also his friend that has his best interests at heart."

"Sure you do." His voice dripping with sarcasm. "But seriously, Iris told me that Linda can get pretty aggressive if you know what I mean..." He trailed off, wiggling his eyebrows to silently emphasize his point.

Caitlin furrowed her brow, not following along. "Physically? I mean Barry's been in more fights these past few months so I'm sure he can handle himself."

"That's not the type of physical that she's known for Caitlin."

Her eyes widened, "Cisco!" She stuttered, her cheeks blushing at the very thought. She huffed and crossed her arms and before she knew it, she was now at the front of the line.

"Good morning Miss. What can I get for you today?" The barista asked. She looked at the menu, trying to ignore everything else around her but when Cisco let out a small whistle, she turned around and saw Linda putting her arm around Barry. She quickly muttered an order and stepped away, leaving Cisco standing there confused.

Caitlin walked over to the table, surprising both Barry and Linda but before either one of them could get a word out, she leaned over and pressed her lips firmly against Barry's. She could taste the lingering hazelnut expresso on his lips and it only made her want him more. She could tell that it initially caught him by surprise but he quickly responded, his hands reaching to pull her closer. Her mind began to wander, wanting this moment to last just a little bit longer but she knew it wasn't the time nor place. She hesitantly pulled away, smiling at a fuming Linda and dazed Barry as she sauntered back over to the counter.

"What in the multiverse was that Caitlin?!" Cisco asked, his eyes still not believing what happened. "I don't know what's gotten over you but I definitely approve!"

"Barry had something on his lips so I merely went over there to inform him about it." She said nonchalantly. "That's what a good friend would do."

"Oh really? What did he have that he couldn't wipe off with a napkin?"

"Me." Caitlin cheekily answered as she picked up her coffee and took a sip, enjoying the warm sensation flowing through her body. It really was a good day to order The Flash.


	2. Mirror

**Notes for the Chapter:**

> I stumbled around with this chapter but I'm quite pleased with the way that it turned out. I hope you guys enjoy it. Thank you for kudos everyone.

Caitlin sighed, her eyes drawn back to her reflection once more. She stared at the stitches on the side of her neck, a painful reminder that she needed to be more careful while out in the field. Her body trembled as she remembered the cold steel against her skin.

The fear on Barry's face when he rushed to her side and found her bleeding on the floor.

It was a memory she desperately wanted to forget.

She unconsciously pulled her blanket closer, wrapping it tighter around her shoulders. Even though they caught their metahuman, she ended up getting caught in the crossfire, which landed her in the medbay. Luckily most of her clothes would conceal the inevitable scar but as she continued to stare into the mirror, she compared herself against the other women she knew in her life.

Iris... Felicity... Kara... Sara...

They didn't have any visible scars on their bodies. Well, maybe Sara did, but that woman oozes sex appeal on looks alone. Something that she couldn't do anymore, not that she had any luck in that department lately.

A firm knock then echoed from her door, the sound repeating itself a few times. "Hey, Cait. It's Barry. Can I come in?"

"Barry?" She whispered, looking up from the couch. What was he doing here? She wondered before getting up and letting him in. "Is everything okay?" She asked while gripping her blanket.

Treating it like a piece of armor that was protecting her from the outside world.

"Everything's fine, Cait. I just wanted to see how you were doing." Barry softly answered, pulling her back over to the couch. "How are you feeling? Do you need anything? Soup? Medicine?"

Caitlin shook her head. "No... I'm okay." She said, her eyes looking down at the blanket. "I'm... sorry for today, Barry. I should've -"

"Should've nothing." Barry interrupted, "What happened today wasn't your fault. It was mine. I'm the fastest man alive and yet, I couldn't reach you in time. If anyone should apologize, it should be me. If only I was faster..." He clenched his fists together, still upset at himself for making such a careless mistake.

Even though everyone assured him it wasn't his fault, they didn't understand how close he came to losing her today. What kind of hero would he be if he couldn't even protect Caitlin? If he had been even a second later... That was the kind of rabbit hole he knew he shouldn't go down.

Before coming here, he reminded himself that she was fine, that she was alive, but those were just empty words.

He needed to see her with his own eyes.

"Barry..." Caitlin whispered, scooting over and wrapped the blanket around him. "Look at us, two people trying to apologize when neither one of us blames each other." She chuckled and rested her head against his shoulder. "We're quite the pair, aren't we Mr. Allen?"

"That we are Dr. Snow." The blanket slipped off her shoulders during their conversation and Barry noticed how quickly she pulled it back up... As if she was trying to hide her wound from him. "Hey. Is everything okay?" He asked, turning to look at her.

"Of course it is." Caitlin replied, "I'm just a little tired..." Her voice trailing off as she stared at the floor. "You know... with almost dying and all..."

Over the years, one thing that he learned about Caitlin was that she had a lot of non-verbal communication cues. He first noticed it when she chewed on her lower lip whenever she was brainstorming on a problem, but as he continued to spend more time with her, he started learning them. Even now he could tell that she wasn't telling him the truth.

Something was troubling her.

"I'm here if you want to talk about it..."

She merely nodded but continued to stare off into the horizon. Barry went to pull the blanket closer, but when she flinched at his actions, he narrowed his eyes, wondering what brought that on. At first, he thought it was just a random action, but when he went to do it again, she shifted her body to the left, moving away from him.

Barry frowned. "You're not okay, Caitlin. Is it the wound? Maybe I should take a look..."

"I said I'm fine, Barry!" She snapped, startling him. Her eyes widened, and she quickly muttered an apology.

"Caitlin." Barry gently called out, slowly moving closer to her. "Do you not trust me?"

She closed her eyes, trying to keep her emotions in check, but it was just like him to make sure she was okay. It wouldn't be him if he didn't. "Of course I do, Barry... You know that... It's just that... I..." He remained silent, giving her time to get her words across. "I... just don't want you to see me like this."

"Like this?" Barry asked, confused. "You mean wounded?" He rolled his eyes. "Cait. You've seen me at my worse and then some. I thought we were past this years ago..."

She bit her lips, knowing everything Barry said was true, but this was different. This wasn't just another scar for him. It was her this time... "It's different for women, Barry. Compared to Iris or Felicity... I feel different... like I can't even look in the mirror anymore... There's always going to a constant reminder of what happened today." She started trembling, the tears threatening to come out again.

"Cait..."

"I don't want Cisco or Joe to look at me like some kind of fragile, broken person..."

"You know that's not true. No one is going to look at you like that. Not them and especially not me." Barry said, smiling as he pulled her hand into his. "I think you're one of the strongest women I know and in my eyes, you're still beautiful. Scar or no scar."

"Barry..."

"You don't need to look into the mirror anymore... Just look at your reflection through my eyes."

She tilted her head, skeptical at first but as she stared into those green eyes of his... It was the same look that he gave Iris and Patty and it was the same look that she always secretly wanted.

The look that said it all... because in his eyes... she knew she was the most beautiful woman in the world by his gaze alone.


	3. Impression

On certain days, she would catch glimpses of him coming out of the time vault, looking defeated. She knew that those days took a toll on Barry, both mentally and physically.

She would wait for him in the kitchen, with a cup of coffee on a nearby table. Her eyes would follow him as he entered and took a seat across from her, a grateful smile on his face.

"Another day?" She would ask.

"Another day." He would answer, taking a long sip of that coffee. She could see the toll that this job had on him, his eyes weren't the same lively shade of green anymore. It was dimmer but she could still see that flicker of light burning.

The same one from when they first met and started this crazy adventure together.

"Have you been sleeping?"

"Sleeping enough."

She frowns. "You're not a machine Barry. Even heroes need to sleep."

"I know Cait. The city needs her hero to be at his best." He said, smiling at her. "I'm fine. I promise."

She sat there, staring at him with a careful eye. She could tell that it was just a façade, a mask that he wore. It was similar to the one she had on years ago.

Until he broke it down and told her not to hide that beautiful smile of hers.

"You know it's my job to worry about you." She said, staring into his eyes. "I don't know what I would do if I lost my best friend."

"And you won't lose me."

"You can't promise something like that." She whispered. She worries for the man underneath the cowl, the man whose life is at risk every time he puts on that costume. Everyone else might worry about the Flash but she worries for Barry Allen instead.

He understands her fears but the only thing he could do is make a promise that he can keep instead. "What if I promise to come home?"

"What do you mean?"

"We both know it wouldn't be fair of me to make that promise but what if I promise you that I'll always do my best to come home."

It was just like him to offer a compromise, a solution that works for both of them. It was always the little things that he did that made her smile. Even in the darkest of times, when she couldn't see a way for tomorrow to come, he's always been by her side... pulling her along.

That's the kind of man he was. Always willing to put others before himself. Always setting an example on how to be better.

"I can live with that." She answered, smiling as she reached for his hand. "But no more heroic crusades tonight Mr. Allen. You need some downtime."

"And what does the good doctor recommend?" He teased back.

She paused, her cheeks blushing at some of the wild images in her head. She mulled over an idea for a few seconds. "Chinese food. Pizza. Netflix movie marathon."

He laughed and finished the rest of his coffee. "That sounds wonderful Cait." He smiled and then shook his head. "I know that this job demands a lot from us but I'm glad you're here. It makes it that much more bearable."

"There's also Cisco..." She muttered, trying to keep the blush off her cheeks. "And Joe... and Iris... and Wells..."

He chuckled. "Yes I know but they can't do what you do Caitlin. If it wasn't for you, I wouldn't be here right now." To prove his point, he pointed to several areas on his body, reminding her of his past injuries. "There's no Flash without Caitlin Snow. I hope you know that."

"I do." She returned the smile, feeling her spirits lifted. "What time should I be expecting you tonight?"

"About 7 okay with you?" He asked. "I'm going to head over to that pizza place that you like."

"The one on Greene?"

He shook his head. "I was thinking about the one in Star City." He laughed when he saw her expression. "Don't worry, a little run won't hurt me and besides, I love seeing that expression of yours when you're eating pizza."

She stuck out her tongue at him but she didn't deny it. "Just make sure you're not late Mr. Allen." She warned. "Or else I'm going to start the movie marathon without you."

He gasped. "You wouldn't dare."

He knew that she wouldn't. She would wait for him if he asked but he doesn't. He never does. Whenever they have plans together, he's always the first one there, waiting for her. He didn't have to be so punctual but he knew she appreciated the gesture anyway.

"7 Barry. And not a second later!"

He waved his arms as he strolled out of the kitchen. "I know Cait. I'll see you soon."

She giggled at his antics and proceeded to finish her cup of coffee, a smile still on her face. Even if it's something as simple as movie night, she would do anything just to share that weight on his shoulders.

To remind him that he's not alone.

And somewhere along the way, before she even realized it. She found herself falling in love with him.


	4. History

Taking a seat next to Cisco, Barry pouted as he stared at his now empty coffee mug, sighing out loud.

"Still can't find a date to the CCPD Ball, huh Barry?"

"No, and the worst part is that I don't even know who to ask." Barry grumbled, sighing as he mentally went through his checklist again. There were only a few women in his life and he dated about half of them. He wasn't too keen on asking any of his exes but he supposed there was always Kara. The only problem with her is that he would have to explain to Mon-El why he couldn't find a woman on his own Earth.

The very thought of humiliating himself just to get a date didn't appeal to him either. He sighed again, feeling depressed about his situation.

"What about Caitlin?" Cisco nonchalantly suggested, "Have you thought about asking her?"

"Caitlin?" Barry asked, confused. "Why Caitlin?"

"Why _not_ Caitlin?" He argued. "And before you dismiss my idea, let me ask you this. Are you guys related?"

"No, but -"

"-But nothing. Are either of you in a relationship?"

"I'm not but I don't know if she's seeing -"

"She's not." Cisco was quick to point that out. "Do you have any issues with spending time with Caitlin?"

"Of course not. She's my best friend. We hang out all the time."

"Hey! I thought I was your best friend." Cisco exclaimed, pretending to have his feelings hurt. "Not cool man."

"Best _female_ friend." Barry corrected, rolling his eyes. "But wouldn't it be weird if I ask her?"

"It's only weird if you guys made out before but hey, it's not like you guys _did_ right?" He asked, narrowing his eyes. "I would hope that my two _best friends_ would've told me if that _ever_ happened."

Barry nervously laughed. "Of course man. Absolutely. If something like that did happen, you would be the first call that I make."

His mind then drifted back to that one night where he shared a kiss with Caitlin... granted it was Killer Frost trying to kill him at the time but it was still her lips. He couldn't forget that night even if he wanted to, the kiss forever seared into his memories. It was unlike any kiss he's ever experienced, the way she pressed her soft lips against his. It felt cold at first but his body soon reacted to her, pressing back with his heat. He could smell her perfume, his senses becoming addicted to her while begging for the kiss not to end.

He didn't tell another soul but when he was dating Patty, he compared the two of them together. That was a mistake he didn't want to repeat as it almost led him down a dangerous rabbit hole.

Comparing Patty to Caitlin. His heart would have gone the other way given the chance.

He couldn't think of one imperfection about Caitlin. Not the way that her body molded against his whenever they had to go into the field. The way that her frame fit perfectly in his arms whenever he carried her. It was strictly professional of course but secretly, he knew it wasn't.

His heart started fluttering the more he thought about her. Could this mean he has feelings about Caitlin? Strong feelings for her? His best female friend?

Despite his hesitation, he knew that he did. It was always the little things about her that he loved. The way that he smiled in the morning from her text messages. The way that he loved how her hair shimmered against the natural light. The way that they just... clicked... whenever they hung out.

His stomach also started to feel funny, like they were getting twisted into knots.

Cisco could see the little seedling take root in Barry's mind. It was starting to sprout and all he had to do was nurture it for a little bit longer. If this goes according to plan, there was no way they wouldn't make him the man of honor/best man at their wedding. "So what do you think Barry?"

"I don't know Cisco..." There was hesitation in his voice. A part of him worried about screwing up their friendship. "We have a lot of history together..."

Cisco could see the seeds emerging with each passing second. Just a little bit more and he would be writing his best man speech.

"History smistory. Are you telling me that you're going to throw away a chance at happiness just because you're worried about a little history? Come on Barry, I've had more history with my t-shirts than you do with Caitlin and I threw most of them out last month."

"Yeah but -"

"But nothing. History is just history. Take it and write your own. Don't be afraid to start something new!" Cisco exclaimed, feeling pretty hyped with himself. "Just imagine how amazing your kids will be! They will be smart and beautiful!"

"What was that?" Barry asked, not catching the last part.

"Nothing." Cisco muttered, coughing as he changed the subject. "Now what are you going to do Barry Allen? Will you seize this opportunity or let it walk away from you?"

"I'm going to do it." Barry announced, his eyes now looking past Cisco and at Caitlin, who was sitting with Joe and Cecile. He stood up and walked over, a smile never leaving his face as he joined their conversation.

Cisco remained seated, choosing to watch from afar. He didn't need to hear the conversation to see the look of excitement on Caitlin's face. "Fairy godmother my ass. She aint got nothing on Francisco Baracus Ramon!"


	5. Another Step

"...ry... ..ar.. me?"

That was Caitlin's voice. Even through several tons of concrete, he could recognize her voice anywhere. "Cait?" He muttered, "Caitlin. Can you hear me?"

"...ry... a.. yo.. ..ere?"

He shook his head, disheartened by the fact that she couldn't hear him. He let out a small whimper as he rotated his body, shifting the weight away from lying on his side to lying flat on his back. Even the slightest movement sent immense shock waves of pain throughout his body. "Hello?" He tried once more, hoping that she could hear him.

"Barr... th... coming... ...on."

Her voice offered him a little solace, that little spark of hope, but he couldn't see past the darkness anymore. As he stared at the ceiling, there was nothing between him and several tons of rubble. A single piece that could kill him at any moment.

If only he was faster.

If only he could have seen what was coming.

Tears fell to the ground, his eyes blinking rapidly in an attempt to stop. "I'm so sorry." He cried, his heart filled with regret. With dreams that he never accomplished. With a future that would not exist anymore. "I should've listened... I should've waited..."

"St.. ... me Barry..."

"I can't..." He whispered, knowing that she probably couldn't hear him anyway. "I'm... so tired..." His eyes felt heavy, his body struggling to stay awake. "..Cait..." His last thought was about how worried she must be. He didn't mean to rush in by himself but he underestimated his opponent. Even with his rapid regeneration, broken bones wasn't something that could be healed in minutes... Now he was stuck in a make-shift room, created by the collapse of a building. He looked around for a means of escape but he found none.

His breathing became slower and he could feel his eyes closing.

"Oh my baby boy. I wish I could take away your pain."

Barry's eyes immediately shot open, surprised to hear a voice he hasn't heard in a long time. "Mo-Mom...?" He asked, gasping for air. He forced himself to rotate his body, gritting his teeth as he fought through the pain. He looked around, trying to see if it really was his late mother.

"It's not your time yet honey. You can still keep going. You can still keep running."

"I don't know if I can anymore mom. I'm just so tired."

"I know it's hard but you need to try. Just take another step for me. Just one more step."

If it was his mother asking, he would try. He took several deep breaths of air, each one causing his body to quiver from the pain. "But it hurts so much. I don't know if I can do this."

"I know baby but you've been through so much. A little pain like this won't stop my son."

In a last-ditch effort, Barry pushed himself up, pain ripping through him like a raging wildfire. He screamed as he stood up, breathing heavily as tears rolled down his cheeks.

"I knew you could do it."

He grunted in response. "Now... what...?" He asked between breaths.

"Now... you run. I need you to run for me Barry. Do you remember? Just like that night? I need you to run as fast as you can."

He did remember that night. How could he not? He dedicated years of his life to solving his mother's murder and freeing his father from prison. It was also that night that shaped him into the man that he is today.

"It's going to hurt a lot but I promise that once you're done running, it's not going to hurt anymore. Can you do that for me?"

His body started vibrating, the familiar rush of lightning running through his veins. His muscles continued to scream but he didn't care. His mother asked him for a favor, one that he can easily give. "I can..." He hunched over into a runner's position, leaning forward, and felt the power building inside of him. "I love you mom." He whispered.

"And I love you my baby boy... Now... Run Barry. Run!"

At her words, his body took off. He wasn't even sure where he was running to but he didn't care. Any place was better than being stuck underneath the rubble, waiting for death. He narrowed his eyes, his mind focused on running. He easily vibrated through everything, the smell of fresh air running through his lungs as his feet hit the solid pavement of Central City. He could still feel his mother behind him so he didn't stop.

He kept running through Central City until his legs gave out, sending him tumbling into a nearby street. He panted for air, lying on his back as he stared into the night sky. He laughed as he turned his head, happy to be outside once more.

"I knew you could do it." He heard his mother whisper. "All you needed was to take another step."

"I did didn't I?" He whispered back, closing his eyes. "Can I rest now?"

"Yes you can. She's almost here you know."

"Who...?"

He swore he felt his mother smiling. "Caitlin." With that, he let out a sigh of relief and collapsed, knowing that despite everything... it was going to be okay. Just like how his mother had faith in him... He had absolute faith in Caitlin.


	6. Match

**Notes for the Chapter:**

> Happy Holidays.

Barry stared at the little piece of paper in the palm of his hand, the one that had Caitlin's name written on it. Ever since the Secret Santa drawing, he's been thinking about the perfect gift for her. One that would clearly convey his feelings. He was so deep in thought that he didn't realize someone else was in the room with him.

"Hey Barry."

His eyes widened and turned around. "Caitlin!" He coughed and then shoved the piece of paper into his jeans. "Hey Caitlin. What are you still doing here?"

She gave him a puzzled look. "I'm finalizing some research materials for my experiment tonight. Why are _you_ still here? Didn't you have plans with Cisco?"

"Yes... Yes I did..." He hesitantly answered. "But um... He..."

"Something came up?"

He immediately nodded. That was a perfectly logical answer. "Yup. Something did come up and he had to bail." He sadly bobbed his head. "So I decided to do some research as well. For a case of mine." He added.

"Do you need help?" She asked, leaning over. "I've never had the opportunity to see how Barry Allen works in a lab." She teased.

Barry laughed and then remembered that he didn't _actually_ have a case to work on tonight. He rubbed the back of his head awkwardly and decided to change the subject. "Do you know what you're getting for your Secret Santa?"

Caitlin smiled. "I do. In fact, I'm actually glad I got him as my Secret Santa."

He hung to her every word, trying to figure out if she managed to get him or someone else. By using the process of elimination, he knew that there was a 33% chance that she ended up with his name. The other two males participating were Cisco and Wells and then he frowned. He really didn't like those odds at all.

"Do you need help with your gift idea Barry?"

"If you don't mind." He answered, smiling at how the perfect opportunity landed on his lap. "So for my Secret Santa... well... this person is kind of hard to shop for. Their... sort of... unique."

She giggled. "That's descriptive Barry. Are you sure you should be working for CCPD?"

He rolled his eyes. "Come on Cait..."

"Okay okay." She said, giving in. "Are you sure you can't tell me? It would be a lot easier if I know who it is."

"I couldn't possibly violate the oath of the Secret Santas. It's almost as important as the oath we took in our profession."

Now that was her turn to roll her eyes. "If you insist." She playfully huffed, crossing her arms against her chest. "For me, it was really simple Barry. I just closed my eyes and imagined what would make him happy."

Taking her advice, he closed his eyes and focused on Caitlin. It wasn't hard to put into words what she meant to him. She was his best friend. His doctor, his confidant... but at the end of the day, he wanted her to be his. He felt himself fidgeting in his seat and then stopped when he felt her hand on his shoulder. He could imagine a frown on her face, her hand getting ready to swat him on the shoulder.

Despite the many painful memories they shared, they also had a lot of wonderful memories, ones that he'll forever cherish. He loved how her words resonated with him, their minds always being on the same wavelength. Through thick and thin, through pain and loss, she was always there by his side.

She was his world. She was his home and he wanted her to know.

That's why this gift had to be perfect.

He's seen a side of Caitlin that no one else has and they agreed to keep each other's secret. His singing and her drunken actions from that night. It was their secret.

An idea was slowly forming in his head and then he opened his eyes, taken back by how close Caitlin was to him. He could smell that perfume of hers, the intoxicating scent that drove him crazy.

"Hi." He whispered, unable to take his eyes off her. He could see how beautiful she looked tonight and that brought a smile to his face.

"Hello..." She replied, tilting her head up. "Did you figure it out...?"

"Yeah... I did..." He leaned in closer but his attention shifted from her beautiful brown eyes to her soft lips. "Maybe I should wait..."

"Yeah maybe..." She agreed, feeling his warm breath on her skin. "It would be nice..."

He didn't give her a chance to finish that thought when he gently pressed his lips against hers, euphoria washing over him. She tasted like peppermint, mixed with a hint of chocolate and coffee. He wanted to wrap his arms around her waist, holding her close to him but he would settle for this kiss.

"Merry Christmas Cait." He whispered, enjoying the cute puzzled expression on her face when he pulled away.. "I'll give you your gift next week."

Before he could walk away, she reached for his hand and pulled him back, this time pressing her lips against his. He could feel the emotion from her and he gladly returned his feelings. After a few seconds, they pulled away, a blush on each of their cheeks.

"What was that for?" He asked. "Not that I'm complaining."

"It seems like you too will have to wait for your gift next week." She cheekily answered.

His eyes widened at the implications and then he laughed. "We got each other." He pulled out the piece of paper with her name on it while she did the same.

"That's right Mr. Allen. We're quite the pair."


	7. Routine

**Summary for the Chapter:**

> This one takes place after the Karaoke scene and how I imagined the morning after should've gone.

**Notes for the Chapter:**

> Has anyone noticed that a series of one-shots can be written for any couple based on Taylor Swift's albums?

On a normal day, Caitlin would already be up and drinking her first cup of coffee but not today. Today, she was still in bed, trying to sleep away the massive headache. Her phone vibrated a few times but she didn't care. All she wanted was to bury her face deeper into the pillow and wishing for tomorrow to come.

"Go. Away." She grumbled, her eyes still shut. "Caitlin is unavailable."

The phone finally stopped and she let out a sigh of relief. She reached for her duvet, pulling the cover to her chest. "Need coffee... Stat."

A whirlwind then blew into the room, her body immediately reacting to the intruder. "Barry?" Caitlin asked, surprised to see him in her apartment. "What are you..." She paused and then shook her head. " _Why_ are you here?"

Barry smiled. "You don't remember do you."

"If I did, I wouldn't be asking you that question now would I?" She retorted as she fell back down to her bed.

"~ _Summer Lovin_...~" Barry started singing and a rush of memories came back to her. She groaned and pulled a pillow over her face, trying to hide the blush on her cheeks.

He laughed and sat down next to her. "Do you remember now?"

"Yes." She said, her voice muffled by the pillow. "Let's not bring it up." She pleaded. "Ever."

"Sure." Barry grinned. "Hey. Do you think you'll be getting up any time soon?"

"Why? Can't a girl wallow in her shame for another day or so before returning to reality?"

"She can but what should I do about breakfast?"

"Breakfast?" Caitlin asked, slowly lowering the pillow. "You made breakfast?"

"Blueberry pancakes and coffee." He exclaimed. "Breakfast of champions."

"It's too early for you to be this perky." She muttered as Barry disappeared into the kitchen. By the time she sat up, a tray of food appeared on top of her lap. True to his word, there was a plate of blueberry pancakes with a cup of coffee. She reached for the coffee and took a sip, the warmth spreading through her body. It was what she needed but she pursed her lips together, recognizing the flavor of the coffee.

"What's wrong?" Barry asked, a look of concern on his face. "Did I not make the coffee right? Do you take it with cream instead of milk?"

"The coffee's excellent." She said, reassuring him. "There's nothing wrong with it."

"You made a face." He pointed out, using his finger and pointed to her lips. "You're not going to offend me Cait. Everyone has a different way of enjoying their coffee."

She sighed, not surprised that Barry was able to pick up on that. "You're going to think it's silly..."

"You're talking to the guy who decided to run backwards on a treadmill because he thought it was cool."

Caitlin giggled at the memory. The expression on his face was just priceless. It reminded her of a newborn puppy who was just learning how to run. "Fine but you can't laugh Mr. Allen."

Barry nodded and drew a cross on his chest. "Cross my heart."

She hesitated and then placed the cup back on the tray. "You made me my weekend coffee..."

"Weekend coffee?" He asked, confused at the statement. "You mean there's... a... weekday coffee?"

"Yes! It's not that weird Barry." She huffed, crossing her arms against her chest. "Weekday coffee is for the weekdays and weekend coffee is for the weekend. That's my routine for as long as I could remember."

"I'll remember it as well." Barry softly answered, "Sorry for disrupting your routine."

Caitlin sighed and took another sip of her weekend coffee. It was good coffee and in a way, today could be a weekend if she wanted. "It's fine Barry." She said as she reached for his hand. "Ever since you came into my life... It's been pretty disruptive."

"I'm sorry..."

"I'm not." She interjected, cutting him off. "You're disruptive in a good way Barry. You've shown me that there's a Caitlin outside of work. Outside of Team Flash."

"Does that mean we'll see drunk Caitlin again on stage?"

She scoffed. "Don't push it." She proceeded to take another sip of coffee before realizing that Barry was still wearing the same clothes from last night. "Did you sleep over last night Barry?"

"Yup." He answered, now awkwardly rubbing the back of his head. "I swear nothing happened. You asked me to stay until you fell asleep and I was just holding your hand until I... um..." His eyes then drifted away, looking at the empty spot on the wall. "Fell asleep as well."

She felt her cheeks flush, the thought of Barry falling asleep next to her. Even though they were just friends, she hasn't had anyone slept in the same bed as her since Ronnie. It was a strange feeling, one that she would need more time to understand but for now... she would take it one step at a time.

"That's okay." She muttered, taking another long sip of her coffee. Perhaps one day in the future, when she's ready... This could be her new routine in the mornings...


	8. Youth

**Notes for the Chapter:**

> Happy Holidays.

Cisco hummed a little tune as he stepped into the Cortex, holding up a tray of coffees from Jitters. "Good morning Caitlin!" He cheerfully greeted as he took the seat next to her. "I got us coffee this morning." He placed the tray on their desk, pushing it slightly towards her. "Can you believe that The Vibe is still their best seller? Did I call it or did I call it?"

"Hey Cisco." Caitlin warmly smiled. "Yes you did but don't you think it's a little creepy to keep tabs on a coffee drink?"

He shuttered in shock. "Creepy? How is it creepy to..." He started to trail off when he spotted a similar coffee cup on Caitlin's desk. "Why did you get coffee? I thought we agreed that I was bringing in the coffee today."

"Oh. Barry brought that for me earlier." She pointed out. "We ran into each other outside Jitters and I..." She looked away, turning her attention back to her computer.

"Let me guess. You forgot?" He answered, rolling his eyes. "And why is Barry buying coffee? I texted him last night about this! I know he read my messages!" He scoffed and pulled out his phone, his finger scrolling through. "Ah-ha!" He held the phone in front of Caitlin to show her. "See? He read my messages. I have half a mind to give him a piece of my mind."

"Maybe he forgot as well Cisco." Caitlin suggested, doing her best to calm her friend down. "I'm sure Barry will make it up to you."

He pouted but nodded along. "Well... I'm still going to leave him a sternly worded text. Do you think an upset emoji will get my message across?"

She giggled. "Make sure you send it with a coffee one as well."

They chatted for a while, catching up on their latest metahuman when Cisco noticed that Caitlin was paying more attention to her phone than their conversation. He didn't say anything at first but continued to observe. It was rare to see his best friend smile like that. After the fifth vibration, he nudged her gently, wiggling his eyebrow suggestively. "So who's the lucky guy?"

"I'm sorry?" She asked, looking up from her phone. She followed his line of sight and then realized that he was staring at her phone. She quickly placed it back down on the table. "It's nothing."

"Really? How can it be nothing when you're smiling like a fourteen-year-old girl who just received an instant message from the guy she likes."

"What? No, I'm not."

"Fine. If you're not then I'm sure you wouldn't mind if I take a look at your phone." He held out his hand, daring her to call his bluff.

Caitlin hesitated, biting the lower part of her lip. "It's just Barry." She finally admitted while still holding on to her phone. She batted his hand away and placed her phone back down on the table. "I was helping him with an experiment that he was designing. He wanted to make sure his calculations were correct."

"Uh-huh." Cisco snorted and then he pulled out his phone.

"What are you doing?" Caitlin asked, the pitch of her voice slightly panicked. "Are you texting Barry?"

"Of course not." He assured her. "I'm texting our leader."

Her eyes widened and she reached for his phone out of instinct. Even later on, she still wasn't sure why she did that but the claw marks on Cisco's wrist serves as a reminder of why she should think before leaping into action. They struggled for a few seconds, trying to wrestle for control over Cisco's phone but in the end, he breached a portal and threw his phone through, smirking as he stared at her. "Crazy woman. What has gotten into you today? Is it Barry's coffee?"

Caitlin spent a few seconds trying to recompose herself, her hands went to straighten out her blouse. "I'm sorry Cisco. I'm not sure what happened."

"I think I know what happened." Cisco said, surmising a guess. "You like Barry."

"What? No, I don't."

He sighed and stared at his best friend. How can someone with so many degrees be this dense? "Yes you do." He pointed out. "Look I get it. It's probably new and you don't know how to deal with your feelings for him but trust me. The man feels the same way."

"How could you possibly know that?" She argued, crossing her arms against her chest.

Cisco rolled his eyes and opened another breach, this time reaching for his phone. He quickly typed out a text and sent it to Barry while at the same time, stole Caitlin's phone and did the same thing. Before she could protest, he held up his finger to stop her and then proceeded to put both phones on the table. "Look. If Barry doesn't like you, he would answer me first." He saw the confusion on her face. "It's a guy thing." He answered, knowing that she would have so many follow up questions.

Caitlin promptly closed her mouth and then stared at the phones. Within a few seconds, her phone started vibrating and stopped, indicating that she received a message. She leaned over and saw that it was indeed a message from Barry.

"Told ya." She heard Cisco muttered.

"This doesn't prove anything."

He snorted in response. "Listen youngin'. Let grandpapi Cisco show you how it's done." He gestured for her to take his phone, urging her to read the message.

She reached for his phone and opened the message app, her eyes widening again. "You didn't."

"I did."

"I'm going to kill you."

"No, you won't." Cisco shot back, taking his phone back. "If I were you, I would spend my time figuring out how to make this work with Barry before he gets here because it's going to be awkward." He said with a laugh. He saw the death glare coming from his best friend but he knew that she would be thanking him later.

She muttered some death threats before walking out of the Cortex but not before looking over her shoulder, throwing Cisco a small smile. "Thanks."

"Don't mention it." He replied, leaning back into his chair and kicked his legs up. "Ah... Young Love."


	9. Dawn

**Notes for the Chapter:**

> Having lost someone recently, I wrote this in dedication to him.

Every time Barry closed his eyes, he could still see his father's face. The pain and agony in his eyes as he struggled with his last breath. It was a memory that he won't be forgetting anytime soon. Cisco recommended a variety of remedies to help but none of them worked. Not with his metabolism. Caitlin ran her standard set of tests on him but she didn't see anything abnormal from the results.

He knew that there wasn't anything _physically_ wrong with him but he didn't want her to worry. He promised that if there was anything wrong with him, she would be the first one to know.

That was several hours ago and the team has long since gone home but he stayed behind and eventually found his way to the roof. He stared off into the distance, finding solace in the metropolitan city. It amazed him that after all the fights, all the destruction, the city was able to bounce back and that gave him hope.

The door next to him suddenly opened, his body jumping up in surprise. His eyes widened when he saw Caitlin stepping through, a plaid blanket wrapped around her shoulders and her hair tied up in a ponytail. "Cait?" He asked. "What are you doing here?"

She gently closed the door behind her. "You didn't go home, Barry." She softly replied. "Joe called and asked if I've seen you."

He pulled out his phone and saw the numerous missed calls from Joe. "Sorry." He muttered, lowering his head and putting his phone back into his jeans. "I just wanted to get some air."

"At 3 AM? Even superheroes need rest."

He sighed and looked away, not wanting to answer her. Ever since the funeral, sleeping didn't feel natural to him anymore. Not when his father's murderer is still out there. Caitlin stared at her best friend, noticing the far-away look in his eyes. "When's the last time you've gotten a full night's rest?" His mouth opened slightly but she knew what he was going to say. "At least 7 hours Barry." She interrupted. "That's what I mean by a full night's rest."

"I'm not sure." He whispered, lowering his head into his arms. "Maybe a few days ago?"

"Barry!" Caitlin exclaimed. "Are you having trouble sleeping?"

He shook his head. "It's not that I don't want to sleep... It's that I can't... Every time I close my eyes, I can still see my father Cait. I can still feel his body in my arms and it's not something that I can easily put behind me."

"And none of us is asking you to do that Barry." Caitlin said as she sat down next to him. She unraveled the plaid blanket and draped it around both of them. "We all loved your father and death isn't something that can be taken lightly. It's perfectly normal to be grieving right now. He is your father after all."

He knew that but his heart was still broken.

They stayed like that for hours, neither one of them feeling the need to fill the silence with chatter. Caitlin fell asleep a while back, her head leaning on his shoulders as he felt her steady breathing, her warm breath making his skin tingle. The sun was finally starting to come up and he felt the warm rays of light on his skin. His companion started to stir, cute incomprehensible noises came out of her mouth.

He smiled but returned his gaze to the rising sun. It was the start of a brand new day.

"Barry?" Caitlin whispered, her eyes half-opened. "Is it morning already?"

"Yeah... The sun's starting to come up."

She yawned and stretched her muscles, allowing the blanket to fall to the ground. She turned and looked at Barry, her hand gently caressing his cheeks. There was a little stubble growing but she didn't mind. "Did you get any sleep?"

"No." He admitted. "I couldn't stop thinking about him. How he'll never get to see another sunrise..."

"I know."

"It's not fair." Barry sniffed, blinking rapidly to keep the tears from coming. "He wasn't one of us. He was a civilian. Just like my mom. Why did he have to pay the price for my actions Caitlin? How many more people will suffer because of me?"

Caitlin saw his body shivering and quickly wrapped her arms around him, holding him tightly. "It's going to be okay Barry." She said, her hand slowly rubbing his back. "Henry didn't blame you. Not once. He was so proud of you for becoming an actual superhero. The abilities that you have, you're able to save more lives than he ever could." She looked up and saw the sun still rising. "It's a new day Barry. The mistakes that we've made, that's in the past now. We have an opportunity to keep moving on, to be better."

"What if I can't Cait? What if I want to kill him?"

There was an edge in his voice that she didn't recognize, one that made her pause. She understood the pain that he was going through, having lost someone she loved as well but this was Barry. "You won't." She confidently answered.

"And how do you know that?"

"Because I'll be right there with you. Just like how I'm here with you right now."


	10. Distraction

Barry Allen spent the last couple of hours stuck in his lab at CCPD. He was trying to put together an experiment that would determine the kind of weapon used by the killer but so far, he hasn't had much luck. He continued to scribble on his notepad, making tweaks to his formulas as he went. He was so engrossed in his calculations that he didn't hear the door to his lab open.

"Barry?" The voice called out, trying to get his attention. "Are you in here?"

He grunted back a response, waving his hand in the air. "Back here."

The sounds of footsteps came closer and he soon began to recognize the click-clack of heels against the hardwood floors of his lab. He then looked up and saw Caitlin walking towards him, a big smile on her face. His eyes drifted down to the tight blue dress she was wearing, the one that flaunted her body's natural curves. The calculations that he had in his head disappeared as quickly as she came.

"Caitlin?" He asked, confused to see her here. "Did something happen? Is everything okay?"

"Everything's fine Barry." She assured him while taking a seat across from him. "I had some time off this afternoon and you've always said that I was welcomed to stop by..."

"Of course!" Barry exclaimed, his lips turning upward into a smile. "You're always welcomed here." He pushed the notepad to one side, trying to tidy-up a little bit. "It's not as fancy as what you have in your lab but I try to make it work. Police budget and all."

Her eyes looked around his lab, immediately recognizing the numerous chemicals that were neatly labeled on the flasks. "Don't say that Barry. It's more of a testament to your skill as a CSI to be able to solve these cases with what you have. I'm a little jealous, to be honest."

He chuckled. "I'll trade places with you in a heartbeat Doctor Snow."

She leaned forward to see what he was working on and smiled as she saw the makeshift experiment he setup. "So what are you trying to solve for today Barry?"

"Well, to be honest. I don't know." Barry replied, rubbing the back of his head. "Joe gave me the case a few hours ago and nothing makes sense. The victim died from a suspicious wound but the blood work came back clean. There weren't any traces of poison in the body and when I did a chemical analysis on the wound, the results didn't make any sense."

"Do you think it's a metahuman?"

He shook his head. "Cisco didn't find any dark matter on the scene either."

"But you have some idea don't you?"

"I do." Barry held up his notepad to show her his calculations. "From the size of the impact, it had to be something small and concise, with the velocity of a projectile shot from a firearm but there was no gunpowder residual so it has to be something similar. If I can determine what killed him, I can find out how it was done."

Caitlin stood up and walked over to the other side, standing next to Barry as she lowered her head to inspect his setup. "Did you run the specimen through a mass spectrometer?"

He did. He ran it through several machines but for some reason, the only thing he could focus on was her perfume. The intoxicating scent of wildflowers came into his mind, the image of them having a picnic very vivid now. "Uh... Yes I did." His hand reached for a nearby folder, fumbling as he tried to pick it up. He tore his attention away from her and pulled out several sheets with the results. "Nothing out of the ordinary."

She reached for the papers, her fingers briefly touching his but it was enough to put butterflies in his stomach. He watched as she read through the results, his focus on the curls of her hair. They were especially bouncy today, which made him smile inwardly. There was also something he was supposed to do but for the life of him, he couldn't remember right now.

"I noticed that there were slightly elevated levels of trioxide and toluene, which is strange because they're not normally this high in Central City."

He kept watching that wonderful brain of her work, the gears inside churning. "Uh-huh." He found himself nodding along. His finger wandered onto the paper, going down the list, and pointed to the only one thing that he remembered. "There was also traces of Rhodium which stumped me."

"Hm..." She kept pondering, trying to make sense of the report. She looked up and saw Barry staring, her cheeks blushing in response. "Sorry Barry, I got lost in my thoughts. Am I distracting you from your work? That wasn't my intention at all."

He chuckled to himself. She would never be a distraction to him. "No. I could always use the help around here. Especially from someone of your caliber Doctor Snow."

She rolled her eyes, lightly swatting him on the shoulder. "Perhaps I should start charging CCPD for my services Mr. Allen. Do you think you can afford my expertise?"

Now, it was his turn to roll his eyes. "How about I just take you to lunch and we call it even?"

"Do I get to pick the place this time?" She gleefully asked.

"No, I have a place in mind." He smiled, already starting to lock up his lab. He saw that skeptical look on her face and he merely shook his head. "Trust me. You'll enjoy it."

She pouted, "Is it that new Italian place that Cisco found? I've been meaning to try that."

"Not even close."

"Would you at least give me a hint?"

"Italy."

Her eyes widened, able to understand what he was trying to convey. "Barry! What about your work? Wouldn't Joe be upset?"

"Fastest man alive remember?" Barry said, his eyes dancing with amusement. "Besides, It's not every day that I get to take my distraction out to lunch."

**Author's Note:**

> Please let me know how this chapter was.


End file.
